Frankincense and Myrrh Cologne

My bottle is from way back in 2011ish (and still going strong), so newer editions may have weakened - but for me the 'classic' C&S Frankincense and Myrrh is a large, heavy, hugely aromatic, gorgeously gold-glittery smell of Christmas. It is intense and big - on the verge of bullying, compared to many other incense/resin-themed scents I've tried - so many of the reviews below just baffle me, because I don't recognise the scent they describe. This was one of the first fragrances I ever smelled which evoked wealth and real sophistication; a truly complex oriental. For me it genuinely evokes exotic camel caravanserais laden with everything aromatic from the East. Certainly smells way more luxurious than it needs to, and at a price point comfortably between mass-market mediocrity and high-end niche pretension. Completely unisex IMHO but you do need to really like both frankincense and myrrh (well, doh....) ; this is a hugely resinous, radiant, almost-bitter incense thing, not at all shy and surprisingly un-sweet. I get a little citrus and floral at the opening but not nearly so much as others describe; so this scent (like many other Czech and Speakes in my experience) may be have been reformulated as a much milder beast. I usually loathe lavender, and it's unmistakably in here, but it's a discreet amount of the sharp fresh kind, and the other strong aromatics are more than robust enough not to let the lavender boss them. This is a precious gift from the East indeed. It's Magi(c).

Well for starters I don't associate this with Christmas! Having said that I will concede that this is a fabulous winter snuggle-scent. Soft, snuggly and smokey with a refined powdery drydown that reminds me a little of lavender and chamomile baby talc mixed with some (and I mean this positively!)past-its-use-by-date dried sage that you might find in the back of the kitchen cupboard. I find very little citrus here which is surprising as lemon notes usually project loudly on my skin. The frankincense is very enjoyable and never tips over into that slightly medicinal smell. Sillage is discreet, I find this one wears quite close to the skin, but my oh my, it's special. Again and again I find myself raising my wrist to my nose. A cold winters night with a crackling fire, a slightly rough tartan wool blanket and a hot toddy. Oh yes. A full bottle is calling....

Starts off very citrus forward with aromatics for about 30 minutes. Begins to get spicier, after that and you can sort of sense the next transition is coming. It does a complete 180° turn and dives into incense and woods. The incense is more pronounced than the woods, but with an aromatic freshness which is suitable for heat. Projection is strong for the first hour. I'm not a huge smoke fan, but this isn't smokey incense. Herbs stick around into the drydown. That paprika gives it a nice little kick of adrenaline similar to how cloves would but not nearly as intrusive. It feels like a daytime incense because there's a uplifting freshness to it. Church on a bright sunny day, and vintage in a way, which is characteristic of the house of Czech & Speake. Very easy to like, and every time I wear it, I love it more. Scent 9/10 Performance 6/10

J'adore! I definitely want this! Love at first sniff! Like the other frags I've tried by C&S, "does what it says on the tin" (or rather, 1ml sample bottle); true to its listed notes. Simple, elegant, soothing. Was pleasantly surprised to discover it is an EDC, as it performs as well as an EDP on me. Longevity is very good, 2-3 drops per pulse point on neck and inner elbow/wrists lasted all day and into the evening, easily. Obviously as it is a sample I'm not spraying but dabbing. Sillage is rather subtle and moderate, but I like that. I do believe this wouldn't be overpowering even with a slightly heavier application; but will have to wait and see when I get myself a full size bottle; which, for the price, is rather a commitment, but one I'm happy to make.

This is not at all what I was expecting! I was wearing Creed Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie last night, so naturally this morning I was looking around for a rich oriental to segue into. Czech & Speake Frankincense & Myrrh is not really that at all! I was thinking that this would be, well, a spicy oriental with a Christmastime vibe. So it just goes to show you that the names do build expectations up quite a lot... What did I find? To my nose, the lavender is up front and center, as are the herbs: basil and clary sage are listed in the note pyramid, and to me they are far more dominant than the frankincense and myrrh and olibanum (also listed among the notes). The wood (cedar is listed) smells natural, not like aromachemicals, so this may even be the original recipe from 1984. What a surprise: this is a powerful woody aromatic cologne! Smells good and natural and I'd definitely recommend it to gents. For myself, this is more of a warm weather scent. Quite likeable, despite defying all of my expectations. The longevity is very good thanks to the substantial basenotes to which the aromatics are able to cling.